Examining the How of Plural Policing: Moving from Normative Debate to Empirical Enquiry

Abstract

The networked and plural nature of policing suggests that agencies are often involved in extensive exchanges of expertise, resources and knowledge. However, the network structure and distribution of power between various policing actors can vary considerably. This highlights the importance of developing sound analytical perspectives that can help unpack the complexities behind the linkages. Applying the network perspective, this article underlines the value of utilizing analytical tools and approaches drawn from social network analysis, such as brokerage and homophily, to empirically assess the roles of agencies and their contribution to plural policing. This, in turn, shows how, in the mixed economy of policing, as well as being understood in terms of the normative debates that often figure in the current literature, relational phenomena also require more sophisticated empirical approaches.